


It's not a date.

by orphan_account



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-08
Updated: 2013-12-08
Packaged: 2018-01-04 00:24:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1074837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John wanting a break from cases to hang out with Sherlock.<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	It's not a date.

We need to have a discussion. -SH

About what? -JW

A personal discussion. About feelings. -SH

Sherlock. Feelings? -JW

Your feelings, specifically. -SH

What about my feelings? -JW

Something is troubling you. -SH

I'm fine Sherlock. -JW

You haven't been concentrating on cases lately. It's as if you're distracted, or you're not really enjoying them. -SH

Sherlock, trust me I'm fine. -JW

You don't yell about body parts near the food anymore. Are you too exhausted? -SH

Sometimes it's hard Sherlock. Being with you. The cases. Sometimes I just need a break... -JW

You won't even look me right in the eye anymore. -SH

Something is troubling you, and you don't want to tell me about it. -SH

It's just like I said, hard to keep up. -JW

Are you sure you've been all right? -SH

You know...emotionally. -SH

Sherlock, I just need a break sometimes... to do something besides investigations. You know something with us... -JW

As in, the two of us. -SH

Maybe... if you're okay with that. -JW

What would you suggest? -SH

I don't know. Something normal. Dinner, movie etc. -JW

[delay] A date? -SH

No, not a date. Just hang out, I guess. -JW

And that would help? -SH

Yes, I think. It would give both of us some time to rest and relax. -JW

All right then. We'll go do some ordinary person things. -SH

Good. That's great, can't wait. -JW

If you don't want to come on cases, you aren't obligated... -SH

No, no. I like doing cases, it's just sometimes everyone, including you needs a break. -JW

Oh, don't be ridiculous. I need no such thing. -SH

Sherlock, even you need to take a break sometimes. -JW

I need to take fewer breaks. If it were up to me I would work even more often. -SH

Sherlock, please will you take a break. For me? Just so we can do something normal, for once in your life? -JW

For your sake. Yes. -SH

Thank you. -JW

So...we'll watch a film somewhere. -SH

That sounds great. Do you have any preferences? -JW

It's your break. You ought to pick. -SH

Why don't we pick together? -JW

Something that you find relaxing. -SH

I don't know. Maybe we could do something simple. Just go for a walk or watch TV together? -JW

We do that sometimes. -SH

No but not talk about work... talk about other... things. -JW

Other things? -SH

Normal people things. -JW

Normal people don't talk about work? -SH

Not all the time Sherlock. -JW

Very well then. We'll take a walk. We'll go to eat somewhere. Tonight? -SH

Tonights fine. When I get back from the store we can go. -JW

Good. I'll be here then. -SH

Okay see you soon. -JW

Sherlock was waiting for John to get back to the flat, just sitting there and staring at the ceiling in his usual nice suit.

John went to the desk. He smiled and gave the young girl the amount required. He took his bags and wondered out to the front, fantasying about the evening to come. He knew it wouldn't go as he dreamed, but he had a small amount of hope left in his tattered heart.

Are you here yet? -SH

No Sherlock, I'm in a cab. Will be home in a few minutes. -JW

All right. I'm waiting. -SH

 **J** ohn stepped out of the cab. He smiled and breathed in the thick air. The coolness irritated his nostrils. He walked up to the door and breathed out his final smile before returning to his neutral face. He hurried in and looked around. 221B was just as ever, Sherlock's assorted clutter everywhere, light streaming through the windows. Sherlock, who seemed to be deep in thought about something, jolted to attention as he heard John enter.

"Ah, there you are. Just put what needs to go in the refrigerator away and we can be off."

John walked up the stairs and hurried into the kitchen. He placed the items in the fridge and walked into the living area.

"You ready?"

"Yes," Sherlock said. In the time John had taken he had put on his coat and scarf, looking polished as ever. "To take an ordinary walk and discuss ordinary things. Ready."

John smiles. "After you." he points to the door.

Sherlock went down the stairs and held the door open for John. John looks up to Sherlock as he walks. He stops in the doorway of 221B.

"Thanks Sherlock."

"Of course," Sherlock said. He shut the door behind John and locked it. "So...the park?"

"Sounds great."

The two begin to walk down Baker Street. John's lips begin to curve as though a smile is to come.

"Maybe." He thought, "maybe it will be alright."

 **S** herlock watched John, who looked pretty pleased with everything for once. It seemed that John was feeling a little better already.

"So," Sherlock began. "Normal, non-case discussion."

"Is that even possible with you?" John jokes as he walks.

 **S** herlock smirks and shakes his head. "Probably not, but I'm willing to give it a try."

 **T** he pair walk in silence for a minute.

"How was your day?"

"Boring," Sherlock sighed. "Not even a whiff of a case--" He cleared his throat. "Er. How was your day, John?"

"Fine, I guess. I caught up with an old um," He pauses for a minute. "Friend. It was nice. We went to that new little cafe at Berwick St. It was lovely seeing her again. Haven't seen her in ages."

 **"** Oh," Sherlock said, glancing over at John. "A girlfriend?" he asked coolly.

"No, no just friends."

"Ah." Sherlock didn't say anything for a moment. "You haven't had a girlfriend recently, though. You could have asked her out. Was she unattractive?"

John stares the ground. "No, she's beautiful, it's just we have history..." His voice trails off.

"Ah, now I see." Sherlock gave a nod. "So that's what you talked about, your...history?"

"No, no we talked about how we're going. What we're doing. Things like that. She is a tremendous fan of my blog." John smiles and glances at Sherlock.

"So you talked about me, then," Sherlock said. He sounded oddly pleased about that.

"Well not so much you... more about us I guess." He pauses and breaths in, "About how we met and what working and living with you is like."

"And I assume you told her that I'm an absolute nightmare," Sherlock commented dryly. "Rightly so."

"Your not an absolute nightmare, all of the time. You have some good moments. But she was very interested in you..."

"Interested?" Sherlock asked. "Oh, I see..."

"Yeah..." John becomes quiet and fiddles with his fingers.

Sherlock put his hands in his pockets as they walked. "Rest assured, John. If you didn't already have a history with her I'm sure you would have been the one she was interested in."

John doesn't look up. He stares at the ground. Sherlock stared at John for a moment, trying to figure out what was bothering him.

"All right?" he asked after a moment.

 **"** Yeah Sherlock, I'm fine." He sighs, looking into Sherlock's eyes.

 **"** Were you attached to her?" he asked.

"A long time ago. We weren't ready. I thought we were now..."

"But she moved on," Sherlock finished for him. He stared at the ground ahead of him for a few steps. "Don't worry, John. You'll find some woman who will take you from all of this sooner or later."

"I hope I find her soon or..." He mumbles to himself.

"Or what?" Sherlock asked.

"Huh? Oh um nothing Sherlock. I was just thinking out loud."

"Then think louder. We're supposed to be talking about ordinary things and I don't have anything ordinary to talk about, so. What are you thinking?"

"Just about-" He starts and stops quickly. He knows he can't finish his thought, but he wants to tell Sherlock so badly. He restrains and begins talking again. "So should we get something to eat later?"

"Yes, later," Sherlock dismisses, frustrated. "Go on. What's the alternative to finding some woman to run off with?"

"Being alone I guess." He fiddles for a second than looks at Sherlock. "What about you? When will you find someone?"

Sherlock goes quiet, and watches his own feet moving for a long moment.

"What you said, I suppose. I'm not going to find someone."

"Sherlock." He says quietly. "Have you ever had a partner. Not a work partner, a love interest..."

"I've had sex, if that's what you're asking," Sherlock says. "I don't like that. 'Love interest'. Vague euphemism."

"You have had-" John stops. "What? When? It seems impossible I mean you're-" John looks in shock at the man he had misjudged.

"I'm what?" Sherlock asked. "I have all the working parts, and I'm told I'm quite good-looking. Is it really so implausible?"

"You're just you. I didn't think you had it in you. Not in a physical way but mentally. I mean you and a girl."

Sherlock frowned. "I didn't say I enjoyed it," he said. "It was just an experiment. At university. Quite a normal method of human development."

"Oh. So it was just an experiment. You had no feelings for this girl?" John kept walking.

"No feelings for any of them," Sherlock answered. "It would have invalidated the experiment if I had."

John stops again. "More than one. Wow that's um wow..." John looks at Sherlock. "So what experiment was it?"

"Oh, shut up, John. I know for a fact that you slept with at least six people in your time at university." He increased his pace a little spitefully. "I wanted to see what the fuss was about. Wanted to see if I could make myself get as excited about it as everyone else does."

"And you didn't. You didn't like it. So you never had sex again after that?" John walks at the same pace. "How did you know about university and who I slept with?"

"Two or three times," Sherlock admitted. "When I absolutely needed to. For a case once." He smirked at John. "I've seen the state of your textbooks," he answered.

"My textbooks!" John looks at Sherlock. "For a case?"

"Years ago," Sherlock nodded. "The woman's brother was involved in organised crime, but she wouldn't tell me his whereabouts. I had to make her think that she cared more about me than him."

"And you didn't enjoy it? Not even a little?"

Sherlock shrugged. "Not really," he admitted. "I appreciated the chemical sensation for what it was, but it was so...messy." He wrinkled his nose slightly.

"Sherlock Holmes having a problem with mess? Am I not talking to the same man who went on the Tube covered in blood?" John smiles and looks at him.

Sherlock smiled at that. "Oh, shut up," he said. "I cleaned up afterward."

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
